Warp-let-off motion.



' PAT-ENTED NOV. 17, 1903.

W. W. UHLINGER.

WARP LET-OFF MOTION. APPLICATION FILED mum, 1902.

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mm A V UNITED STATES Patented November 17, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WARP-VLET-JOIFF MOTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 744,440, dated November 17, 1903.

Application filed June 24,1902; Serial No. 112,966. (No model;)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. UHLINGER, acitizen of the United States, residing in Pate'rson, in the county of Passaicand State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Warp-Let-Ofi Motions, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to warp-let-ofi mechanism for ribbon or other narrow-ware looms and belongs to that class in which the delivery of the warp-thread from the spool is controlled by friction and operated by the takeup of the thread.

The object of the invention is to provide a let-0E motion which shall be simple in construction, uniform and positive in its action, and which shall allow the easy substitution of full for exhausted spools.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement by which the above objects are attained, as will be hereinafter described.

' The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show the invention as I have carried it out.

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section showing a portion of a ribbon-loom with a single warp-thread spool and let-off therefor constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, on a larger scale, showing a series of spools and their let-off mechanisms; and Fig. 3 is a corresponding end view. The remaining figures are on a still larger scale. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the friction-levers, and Fig. 5 is a side view of a portion of the same. Fig. 6 is an end View of one of the friction-wheels and its connected spool. Fig. 7 is a corresponding longitudinal section. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the outer face of one of the friction-wheels, and Fig. 9 is an elevation corresponding to Fig. 7.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the-figures.

A is the frame of a ribbon or narrow-ware loom, which may be understood to be of the ordinary or any approved construction and equipped with means for operating the lay, harness, and take-up mechanisms as usual.

B is one of a group of bars or racks supported on the frame A and carrying each a series of fixed rods or studs B, extending out wardly therefrom and receivingacorresponding series of warp-spools M, adapted to re volve thereon and deliver the warp-threads.

In Fig. 1 I have for clearness omitted all but one of the spools and let-ofi mechanisms, and in Figs. 2 and 3 a single bar B, having four spools, is shown; but it will be understood that the number of bars and the number of studs thereon may be varied to suit conditions.

On each stud adjacent to its point of attachment to the bar is mounted a frictionwheel G,free to revolve thereon except as acted upon by the short arm D of a friction-lever D, mounted on a pin (1, fixed in the bar below each stud and carrying a curved shoe D matching the periphery of the friction-wheel and preferably faced with leather D to insure strong frictional contact therewith. The short arm of the lever also carries an upwardly-projecting lug or .lip D adapted to lie against the outer face of the wheel and serve to hold the latter in position and prevent axial movement. The lug D engages in an annular oifset or shoulder formed at the junction of a raised'portion or boss 0' with the main portion of the wheel. The latter is preferably a hollow casting or shell having the sleeve 0 extending from the interior face'of the boss outwardly and afiording a long bearing for the wheel.

The long arm of the lever D serves by its greater length and weight to hold the shoe against the friction-wheel and prevent its movement, the pressure being increased when required by the addition of a weight H, suspended from the lever and adjusted to vary the frictional contact by shifting it nearer or farther from the fulcrum (1, being .held in the desired position by engaging in The extreme end of the lever O, sufficiently large to admit them freely, and serve by engaging with the thin shell ad jacent to the openings to connect the spool with its friction-wheel, while allowing the former to be easily removed from the latter by simply disengaging the heads, as will be understood.

The thread M from the spool passes upward over a pulleyltoa pulley I and thence downward around a suspended pulley J and again upward and overapulley 1 from which it passes downward under the glass bar and thence through the harness and lay to the breast-beam and take-up roll. The pulley J, suspended in the loop or bight of the warp between the pulley I and pulley 1 carries a weight L, hung thereto by a wire L, passing between the arms D of the lever. The spool M being held against revolving and delivering, the bight supporting the weight L is gradually shortened by the weaving operation until the weight L contacts with the under surface of the lever D. A slight further rise tilts the lever'sufficiently to 'relaxthe grasp of the shoe on the friction-wheel, and thus allows the spool to turn the latter and pay out the thread during the period while the weight again descends and until the shoe again grasps the friction-wheel and arrests its movement. The feed thus continues intermittently as the warp is taken up by the web until the spool is nearly empty. The spool is then removed by simply disengaging the heads of the pins M from the openings in the friction-wheel and a new one applied to the stud and engaged with the wheel. The loose end of the thread is then tied to the free end on the new spool, the slack rewound on the latter, and the weight allowed to descend and induce the required tension.

It will be observed that the use of removable collars and set-screws or other devices requiring manipulation for retaining the spools in position are avoided, and the only engagement of the spool is by means of the pins The wheel is also loose and may be removed by simply tilting the lever sulficiently to free the lip D from engagement with the wheel. The latter may then be slipped off the stud. The plain cylindrical stud also permits the use of spools of any ordinary lengths and diameters of heads, the only essential requirement being the proper location of the pins M therein.

Each stud, with its accompanying lever, is preferably offset from the next succeeding pair, as shown in Fig. 3, to provide space for the several weights and levers'to operate without interference, and each alternate lever is longer than the next, as shown in Fig. 2, for the same reason. The offset arrangement also permits the bar B to be made with open jaws B for facilitating the insertion and removal of the levers D.

Although I have shown the friction-wheel as having four openings 0 to the interior for the reception of the pin-heads M it will be understood there may be a greater or less number. One pin M alone will serve; but two are preferred, for the reason that the torsional strain is better distributed and the spool revolves more freely when thus arranged, especially when the axial hole in the spool is of considerably greater diameter than the stud. The loose connection between the spool and wheel also allows considerable latitude in respect to size, proportion, and fit without liability of disengagement.

An important advantage of this construction is the short rising-and-sinking movement of the weight L required to operate the letoif, thus maintaining at all times a practically uniform length of warp under tension and insuring a corresponding uniformity in the woven goods.

The improved let-ofl mechanism is inexpensive to manufacture, is easily applied, and

is eminently positive and efficient in opera-' tion.

I claim- 1. In a warp-let-oif mechanism of the character set forth, a fixed stud, a friction-wheel loosely mounted thereon, and formed with a boss and shoulder, a friction-lever adapted to contact with said wheel and prevent its rotation, means for tilting said lever to release said wheel, a warp-spool loosely mounted on said stud, means for separably engaging said spool with said wheel, and a lug on said lever interposed between the adjacent faces of said spool and wheel, serving to prevent the movement of said wheel axially of said stud by engagement with said shoulder.

2. In a warp-let-oif mechanism of the character set forth, a fixed stud, a friction-wheel loosely mounted thereon and having openings in its outer face, and aboss and shoulder, a friction-lever having a shoe adapted to contact with said wheel and prevent its rotation, means for tilting said lever to release said wheel, a lug on said lever serving to prevent the movement of said wheel axially of said stud, a warp-spool loosely mounted on said stud adjacent to said wheel, said lug being interposed between the adjacent faces of said spool and wheel and engaging said shoulder of the latter, and one or more headed pins carried by said spool and adapted to engage in said openings, whereby said spool is separably connected to said wheel to cause the latter to turn therewith, all combined and arranged to serve substantially as herein described.

3. In a let-off mechanism, the combination with a fixed stud, a friction -wheel loosely mounted thereon, and having a boss and shoulder, a friction-lever having a short arm adapted to contact with said wheel, a warpspool loosely mounted on said stud, and means for separably connecting said spool and wheel, the short arm of said lever having an upturned curved shoe and an upwardly-projecting lip beyond said shoe in line with the main friction-wheel C loosely mounted on each of said studs and having the openings 0 and having a boss and shoulder, a series of lovers D, each alternate lever beinglonger than the next and each fulcrumed on a pin dloelow its respective stud, a shoe D on the. short arm of each of said levers adapted to contact with said wheels, a lug D on each lever adapted to engage the shoulder of its wheel and prevent axial movements of the latter, a series of Warp-spools loosely mounted on said studs and separably connected to said frictionwheels, a series of weights L supported by the warp-threads from said spools and arranged when lifted to strike the long arms of said levers and move said shoes out of contact with said wheels and thus permit a delivery of warp-threads, all combined and arranged to serve substantially as herein set forth. I

5. In alet-off mechanism for looms the combination of a continuous rack having portions offset from each other, a plurality of fulcrumpins supported by said offset portions, a plurality of friction-levers mounted upon said fulcrum -pins, each lever having a curved shoe with a friction-surface and an upwardlyprojecting lug beyond said shoe, a series of studs supported on said bar and in different vertical planes, warp-spools on said studs and friction-wheels laterally mounted on said studs and having bosses and shoulders and openings, and headed pins secured in the Warp-spools and passed loosely through openings in the bosses of said friction-wheels, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature in presonce of two witnesses. 7

WILLIAM W. UHLINGER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM J. ORR, CHARLES R. SEARLE. 

